India's Passport Seva portal requires a recent JPEG photo: 35×45mm, plain white background, 20–50 KB, taken within the last 6 months. You do not need a photo studio — a smartphone and a white wall are enough. This guide covers the exact MEA specifications, how to take a compliant photo at home, and how to use the free tool above to crop it correctly and generate a print-ready 4×6 sheet.
India Passport Photo Requirements — Official MEA Specifications
| Parameter | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 35 × 45 mm (3.5 × 4.5 cm) |
| Format | JPEG / JPG |
| File size (online upload) | 20 KB – 50 KB |
| Background | Plain white |
| Face coverage | 70–80% of the frame |
| Photo age | Taken within last 6 months |
| Expression | Neutral, mouth closed, eyes open |
| Glasses | Not allowed (since 2022 MEA update) |
| Head covering | Not allowed except for religious reasons |
| Print size (physical submission) | 4×6 inch sheet with 6 passport-size photos |
How to Take a Passport Photo at Home
You do not need a studio. Here is what you need and how to do it:
Equipment
- A smartphone with a camera of at least 8 megapixels (most phones from 2018 onwards qualify)
- A white wall or a large white sheet of paper taped to a wall
- Natural daylight from a window — do not use a camera flash directly, as it creates harsh shadows
Setup and Positioning
- Stand 3–4 feet (about 1 metre) in front of the white wall
- Position the camera at eye level — place the phone on a stack of books or use a tripod
- Face the window directly so your face is evenly lit from the front
- Check that there are no shadows on the wall behind you
Pose and Expression
- Look directly at the camera with a neutral expression
- Keep your mouth closed
- Both eyes must be clearly visible and open
- Remove glasses — MEA has not allowed glasses since 2022
- Avoid head coverings unless you wear one for religious reasons
Clothing
- Avoid white or off-white tops — they blend into the background and can confuse face detection
- Dark or solid-colour clothing photographs best against a white background
Converting and Resizing Your Photo
Once you have taken the photo, the tool at the top of this page does everything automatically:
- Upload your photo to the passport tool above
- It auto-crops to the India-standard 35×45mm with correct face coverage
- It compresses the output to under 50 KB (within the 20–50 KB range required by Passport Seva)
- It generates a print-ready 4×6 inch sheet with 6 passport photos at 300 DPI — ready to print at any photo lab or at home on A4 paper
Download both the single digital file (for the Passport Seva portal) and the 4×6 sheet (for physical document submission at the passport office).
Uploading to Passport Seva Portal
Once your photo is ready, follow these steps on the Passport Seva portal:
- Log in to passportindia.gov.in and start a fresh application or select an existing draft
- Navigate to the "Upload Photo & Signature" section
- Click "Browse" under the photo slot and select your compressed JPEG file
- The portal will display a preview — verify the face is centred and clearly visible
- If you see "File size exceeds limit", your file is over 50 KB. Re-compress using the 50 KB compressor and try again
- Save and proceed to the next section
OCI Card and Visa — Does the Same Photo Work?
India uses the same 35×45mm specification across several applications:
| Document | Photo size | File size | Same photo as passport? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indian Passport (online) | 35×45 mm | 20–50 KB | — |
| OCI Card | 35×45 mm | 20–50 KB | Yes ✓ |
| Schengen Visa | 35×45 mm | 20–100 KB | Yes ✓ |
| UK Visa | 35×45 mm | Under 1 MB | Yes ✓ (different KB limit) |
| US Visa (B1/B2) | 51×51 mm (2×2 inch) | Under 240 KB | No ✗ (different dimensions) |
The US visa requires a different dimension (51×51mm square). For US visa applications, re-take or re-crop your photo specifically for that format — the tool above can handle this if you adjust the crop.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I use a photo taken on my phone?
- Yes. The Passport Seva portal accepts photos taken on smartphones, as long as the specifications are met — white background, 35×45mm, JPEG, 20–50 KB, taken within 6 months, no glasses.
- Passport Seva shows "Invalid image" — what does this mean?
- This usually means either the file is too large (over 50 KB), the format is not JPEG, or the image dimensions are too small. Run the photo through the tool above which fixes all three automatically.
- Can I print the 4×6 sheet at home?
- Yes. Download the 4×6 sheet from the tool above and print on A4 photo paper. Set the printer to "actual size" (not "fit to page"). The sheet is designed at 300 DPI which gives professional-quality prints on any inkjet printer.
- What if my photo has a light grey background instead of white?
- Light grey is generally accepted by Passport Seva — the MEA requirement is "plain white background" but off-white and light grey have been accepted in practice. However, for guaranteed acceptance, use a pure white background.
See also: IBPS PO photo size guide for bank exam photo requirements, and compress to 50 KB tool if you just need to compress an existing passport photo.